Sunday Roast Chicken with Chestnut Stuffing

During the Depression, many folks could afford to
serve chicken only for special meals, like Sunday dinner.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cups dried bread cubes
1 can (151/2 ounces) chestnuts in brine, drained, rinsed,
and chopped, or 2 cups chopped cooked chestnuts
1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1 teaspoon each dried thyme leaves and savory leaves
1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
3/4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
1 whole broiler-fryer chicken (21/2 to 3 pounds),
giblets removed
Chicken Gravy (recipe below)
How to make it 1 hour, 30 minutes

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over moderately
high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5
minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. In a large bowl,
combine the bread cubes, chestnuts, pecans, thyme,
savory, salt, and pepper. Stir in the onion mixture.
Stir the chicken broth into bread cube mixture; toss
to coat.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse chicken; drain and
pat dry. Stuff and truss chicken. Then, place chicken,
breast-side-up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Insert a
roasting thermometer into thickest part of its thigh
without touching bone. Spoon the remaining stuffing
into a lightly greased 11/2-quart casserole; cover and
refrigerate. Roast chicken for 1 to 11/4 hours or until
the thermometer registers 180°F. Bake the covered
casserole of stuffing alongside the chicken during the
last 20 to 30 minutes of roasting. Let chicken stand
for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare Chicken Gravy. Carve chicken,
discarding skin. Serve with gravy.